Railroad-crossing gate



July 6 1926.

P. B. HOOD RAILROAD aossING GATE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FllrklI IClFI lvl July 6 1926.

P. B. HooD RAILROAD CROSSING GATE 4 'Sheets-'Sheet 2 Filed June 20, 1924 H. M KH bm.

July 6,1926. 1,591,626

` P. B. HOOD RAILROAD CHO S S ING GATE Fil'ed June 20, 1924 l 4 Sheets-Sheet :5

July 6,1926. 1,591,626

P. B. HOOD l RAILROAD CROSSING GATE Filed June 20. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 GMM nu,

Patented Juiy 6, 1926.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

PINKNEY BRADFORD HOOD, OF SCIENCE HILL, KENTUCKY'.

RAILROAD-CROSSING GATE.

Application led June 20, 1924; Serial No. 721,240.

These and other objects will` be apparentfrom the accompanying'drawings and speciication.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a plan view of the safety device;

Figure 2is a longitudinal vertical section through the platforms;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section through the motor housing, disclosingoperative connection between the motor and the-gate;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section through` the motor housing, showing the working arrangement of the signal device;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectiony through the motor housing and signal;

Figure 6 is across section through a section of a platform showing the guides secured thereto; v

Figure 7 is a detail of the gate;

Figure 8 isa detail ofthe releasesprin'g;

Figure 9 is a diagram-of the electrical arrangement.`

In carrying out this invent-ion I provide platforms 2 which are located in the highway on both sides ofthe railroadtraeks 1. rllhe platforms 2 are mounted upon a series of coil springs 3 located in concrete Walled pits 4. Guides have their male halves 6 secured to the platforms 2 an'dftheir femaleI halves 7 secured to the bottom of the pits 4. The male halves 6 of the guides5 have rollers 8 secured in their ends. Pneumatic stops 9 are securedl to the bottoms of the pits 4 .to prevent a heavy loadv from breakingthe springs 3. Knife switches 10' have ltheir female halves 11 insulated. against and. secured to the platforms 2 and their male halves 12 insulated against and secured to the bottoms of the pits 4. rlzhe male halves 12 of the knife switches 10 are springiset in order to afford a good Contact with the female halves 11 when an object of light weight comes onto the platforms 2. The knife switches 10 are also placed on both ends of the platforms 2 for the same purpose; Housings 13 are'locatedoif to the'side of the highway, at right angles therewith,

and inlinevvith the center ofthe platformsy 2. The said' housings 13 are divided .into motor compartments 14 and solenoid compartments 15. The solenoid compartments;

1-5 are releasably secured to the motorcom partments 14. The said motor compartments 14have apertures 16 provideditherein. Cylinder-like tubes 17 having apertures 18 and 19 cut therein, and iianges 20V incorporated therein; areincorporated in the motor come partments 14 at the upper extremities of the aperture 16. Rollers 21 are journaled in the. tubes 17 above the flanges 20. Motors 22 arevertically mounted inf the.y motor compartments 1.4. Gears 23 are` secured to the motors 22. Gates 24 having extended rack .bars 25 incorporated in their tops, are provided. Racks 26^are secured to the rack bars 25 and. mesh with the: gears 23. The:

said racks 26 are equal in length tothe width of the highway. The rack bars 25 slidingly engage the rollers 21` journaled in the tubes 1.7. Stops 28 havingzarms'29inek corporated therein; are secured tofthe ends 27 of the rack-bars 25. Compression springs' 30 are adapted to engage the rods 3-1' and 32 carrying plates 33 and 34. respectively. The

rods 31v are secured to the arms 29 of the I stops 28 while the rods 32 are secured to the flanges 20. Red reflectors 35 are secured to both. sides ofthe gates 24. Thee-ls 36 are journaled tothe lower extremities of the gates24, oppositer the ends 27 of the rack` bars 28 to' prevent the said. gates 24 from' sagging. Signals 37 made in theshape of men aresecured to shafts 38 which pass through the solenoid compartments 15and arejournaled. therein. Coil springs' 39 engage the shafts 38 and are securedv to'the said shafts 38 with their' upper ends and to' the bottoms of the solenoid compartments 15 with their other ends. Solenoids 40 are mounted in thev solenoid compartments 15. Plates 41 are secured tothe rods 42 which are'slidingly secured to the bottoms of the solenoid compartments 15. Cables 4-3 are wound around the shafts 38- and secured to thev said shafts 38 and the rods 42. Plates 44 are rigidly secured to the shafts 38. Electro-magnets 45 are mounted upon the plates 44. Arcesha-ped apertures 46 are cut in the tops of the solenoid compartments 15. Plates 47 which are provided over the arcshaped apertures 46 to prevent water or snow from getting into the solenoid conr partmcnts, engage the shaft 38. Grongs 48 are secured to the tops of the solenoid compartments 15. Arms 49 carrying hammers 50 are secured to the signals 37. Rods 51 carrying plates 52 which are passed through the arcshaped apertures 46 and the plates 47 are pivotally secured to the arms 49. The rods 51 are slidingly secured within the solenoid compartments 15 above the solenoids 45. A battery 59, electric locks 53, solenoids 54 and switches 55and 56 are provided. Suitable wiring is provided as shown in Figure 9. Doors 57 are provided in the motor compartments 14 and solenoid compartments 15. The tracks 1 areV insulated as shown at 58. The signals 37 have the words Track clear7 printed across the front on the one side and the words Stop Train coming on the other side. The words Stop Train coming are printed on the side which faces the oncoming traflic when the gongs 48 ring.

In operation, when `any machine approaches the railroad crossing it is forced to slow down due to the road being blocked by the gates 24. In slowing down the machine drives onto the platform 2, causing the said platform to sink under the weight of the machine, which closes the knife switch l0, thus providing the motor 22 with power to rotate and draw back the gates 24 from the road, to permit the machine to pass and cross the said railroadtracks where the operation just described is repeated. After the machine has passed off the platform 2, the springs 3 raise the said platform, thus breaking the contact made by the knife switch 10 and shutting off the current supplied to the motor 22.- Vhen the current is cut off the compressed springs 30 expand, causing the gate 24 to block the approach to the railroad tracks. In the event a train comes within the insulation upon the tracks 1, the circuit which is connected with the solenoids 54, closes, causing the said solenoids 54 to open the switches 55 which are located in the circuit connected to the male halves 12 of the knife switches lO and to the motors 22, thus breaking the said motor circuit in the event it is closed by the weight of a machine upon the platforms 2. When the train is within the insulation, it also closes the circuits which are connected with the solenoids 40 and the electro-magnets 45, causing the said solenoids 40 to draw the plates 41 toward themselves, thereby turning the shafts 88 through the medium of the cables 43, and the electro-inagnets 45 to raise and lower the arms 49 which carry the hammers 50 through the medium of the rods 51, thereby causing the said hammers 50 to ring the gongs 48. After the train has passed off the insulation, the switches automatically close, while the signals 37 return to their former position through the medium of the coil springs 39.

TWhile I have herein described a certain specific method of constructing and assembling the elements of my invention, it is understood same may be varied in minor details, not departing from the spirit of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In combination with insulated tracks of a railroad crossing, a safety device as described, comprising pits in the highway on either side of said tracks; springs in said pits; platforms on said springs for depression by the weight of a vehicle; guides for said platforms in said pits; switches for closing the electric circuit, upon depression of said platforms; motor housings at the side of said pits; cylindrical tubes incorporated in said motor housings; rollers journaled in said tubes; gates riding on said rollers passing thru said tubes; racks secured to said gates; motors for operation upon depression of said platforms in said housings engaging said racks for withdrawing said gates from the platforms; means secured to said gates for the return operation of said gates; means located in the motor circuit betweenV the motor and the platforms for breaking the circuit by a train upon the insulated section of tracks to prevent operation of the motors; and batteries for supplying energy to said motors.

2. In combination with insulated tracks of a railroad crossing, a safety device as described, comprising pits in the highway on either side of said tracks; springs in said pits; platforms on said springs for depression by the weight of a vehicle; guides for said platforms in said pits; switches for closing the electric circuit upon depression of said platforms; bumpers in said pits; motor housings at the side of said pits; cy-

lindrical tubes incorporated in said motor housings; rollers journaled in said tubes; gates riding on said rollers in said tubes; racks secured to said gates; motors for operation upon depression of said platforms, means in said housings engaging said racks for withdrawing said gates from said platforms; means secured to said gates to eliminate sagging; means on said gates for the return operation of said gates; means located in the motor circuit for breaking the circuit by a train upon the insulated section of track, to prevent operation of the motors; and batteries for supplying energy to said motors.

3. In a grade crossing as described, pits on either side of said crossing; platforms for said pits; means for supporting said platforms; electric circuits; motors in said circuits; means forr closing the circuits thru the weight of a vehicle upon said platforms; gates on said platforms; means connecting the motors with the gates for withdrawing the said gates upon closing the motor circuits; means for returning the gates to said platforms; and means for breaking the mol0 tor circuits by a train upon approaching thev gradev crossing.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

PINKNEY BRADFORD HOOD. 

